Latch



May 25, 1954 w. E. BAUDER LATCH 2 Shegts-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 15, 1952 May 25, 1954 I w. E. BAUD ER LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 15, 1952 642%) /w/ iizz.

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Patented May 25, 1954 LATCH William Edward Bauder, Grandville, Mich., as-

signor to Jervis Corporation, Grandville, Mich, a corporation of lVIichigan Application February 15, 1952, Serial No. 271,798

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to a latch mechanism and it is an object of the invention to provide improved apparatus of that character.

In latch mechanisms for refrigerators and other applications, it is desirable that a bolt member be urged forcefully toward a. keeper engaging position in order that the latch mechanism may serve to compress a gasket between a door and cabinet in the event that the operator does not close the door with sufficient force to compress the gasket. It is also desirable, when the latch is released to permit opening of the door, that the latch bolt be toggled or cocked in an open. position, from which position it may readily be tripped by a relatively light, properly directed force. This enables the door to be closed with a minimum force.

With such a latch mechanism it is not an uncommon occurrence that the latch bolt is inadvertently tripped from its cocked position while the door is open. Accordingly, it is desirable also that the latch bolt be movable from its keeper engaging position to a keeper by-passing position merely by slamming the door shut. Where this feature is not present, if the latch mechanism becomes uncooked while the door is open it is necessary to operate the latch handle before the door can again be closed.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved cocking latch mechanism.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved cocking latch mechanism for mounting on a door and cabinet, for example, which latch mechanism permits the door to be slammed shut even though the latch mechanism may have been tripped from its cocked position while the door was open.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved latch mechanism having the features described above and in which the various movements necessary to effect these features are accompanied with a minimum of friction.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved latch mechanism having the various features described above while being simple, reliable and economical to manufacture.

This invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which like parts are designated by like reference numerals,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a latch mechanism illustrating one embodiment of the invention, the upper half of the latch mechanism being broken away to disclose more clearly the operating parts of the mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a complete side view of the same latch mechanism as viewed from the 1; and

Figs. 3 and 4.- are views similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating the latch mechanism in different operating positions.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention includes a supporting frame H which comprises a pair of walls Ma and Nb and a web member He joining the two wall portions. The supporting frame is adapted to be mounted on a door, for example, preferably by means of suitable fasteners extending through the web memher He and through a pair of ears lid at the extreme left of the supporting frame.

Located between the opposed supporting frame walls I la and H2) is a latch bolt 12 which in cludes a pair of side walls 12a and I21) and a connecting Web 120. The latch bolt is pivotable about a pin 13 which extends through both walls of the supporting frame and through slots it in the opposed walls of the latch bolt. Ad jacent the left-hand end of the latch bolt i2 is a latch bolt roller 55 rotatably mounted on the latch bolt by a pin it which passes through both walls of the latch bolt. Also adjacent the left-hand end of the latch bolt is a tripping member l? which is an integral part of the latch bolt web 120. The tripping element I! is adapted to engage the outermost end of a keeper it to trip the latch bolt from a cooked position to a keeper engaging position, all as is described in detail below. The latch bolt roller I5 is adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with the keeper IS in a manner subsequently to be described.

The latch bolt l2 operates under the influence of an actuator 20 which, like the supporting frame H and the latch bolt l2, comprises a pair of opposed walls 28a and 2th and an interconnecting web member 2%. It will be noted in Fig. 2 that the right-hand portions of the actuator walls are bent toward and contact each other and further support the spaced portions oi the actuator walls, and form a hook 2801, the purpose of which latter will be hereafter described. The actuator is pivotally mounted on a pin 24 which passes through both walls of the supporting frame and both walls (20a and 20b of the actuator.

The actuator 20 is biased in a counterclockwise direction by a compression spring 22 which is wound around a spring bar 23. The spring bar is secured at one end to the pivot pin l3 and at its other end is guided by a pin 24 which passes through a slot 25 in the spring bar and is fixed at its ends in the walls 26a and 20b of the actuator 20. The spring 22 is compressed between shoulders 23a of the spring bar and the pin 24 whereby the spring constantly urges the actuator to pivot in a counterclockwise direction.

line 2-2 of Fig.

A cam roller 26 is rotatably mounted on the actuator 20 through a pin 21 which extends through the opposed walls of the actuator and continues through slots 28 in the opposed walls of the latch bolt l2. A flat-sided cam pin 29 extends between the opposed walls of the latch bolt l2 and is rigidly secured thereto, this cam pin being so located as to cooperate with the cam roller 26 as the pin 21 on which the cam roller 26 is mounted moves through the length of the slots 28 in the latch bolt.

A control member 30 is provided for operating the latch mechanism, the control member having a slot 3| which receives the right-hand end or hook portion 20d of the actuator as shown. The control member 30 may be connected to an operating handle not shown in the drawings, which is so arranged as to accomplish movement of the control member 30 downwardly as viewed in Figs. 1, 3 and 4.

A spring 32, which is of relatively light weight as compared to the spring 22, is wound around the pivot pin l3 and engages the web 120 of the latch bolt and a pair of ears 33 struck from the opposed walls of the supporting frame in such a Way as to urge the latch bolt i2 to the left and in a clockwise direction with respect to the pin l3.

In Fig. l the latch bolt i2 is shown in its keeper engaging position, and the actuator 20 is in what may be termed its normal position since it is pivoted to its extreme counterclockwise direction and the spring 22 has expanded to as great an extent as the latch mechanism permits. In this position the cam roller 26 engages the lower rounded portion of the Cam pin 29 and maintains the latch bolt l2 in its counterclockwise position wherein the latch bolt roller l may engage the keeper l8. Accordingly, a door on which the latch mechanism may be mounted will be maintained in its closed position.

If the control means 30 is now drawn downwardly, as viewed in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the actuator 20 is pivoted in a clockwise direction against the force of the spring 22 with the result that the cam roller 26 is moved from beneath the cam pin 29, the cam roller pin 21 moving through the slots 28. As the clockwise movement of the actuator 20 continues the cam roller pin 21 acts against the right-hand side of the slots 28 to draw the right-hand end of the latch bolt downwardly, thereby pivoting the latch bolt in a clockwise direction. This pivotal movement or the latch bolt is assisted by the light spring 32 which applies an appreciable clockwise torque to the latch bolt.

In a conventional refrigerator application the clockwise movement of the latch bolt is further assisted by the manual force applied to the latch handle, referred to above but not disclosed in the drawings. Conventionally the latch handle is so arranged that the operator does not actually twist the handle but draws it outwardly, with the result that the door is drawn away from the cabinet as fast as the pivotal movement of the latch bolt [2 will permit. Stated differently, the outward pull of the operator on the latch handle results in the keeper l8 exerting an inwardly directed force against the left-hand end of the latch bolt whereby the latch bolt is urged to pivot in a clockwise direction.

The actuator 20 is ultimately pivoted in a clockwise direction to such an extent that the cam pin 29 may move downwardly to a position alongside the cam roller 26, as illustrated in Fig. 3. This is the cooked position of the latch mechanism, in which position the latch bolt roller I5 is free to move past the keeper Ill. The latch bolt 52 will remain in this position after the tension on the control member 30 has been removed because the cam members 26 and 25 are toggled or cooked. More specifically, the cam roller 26 exerts a force against the cam pin 29 along a line which passes slightly below the pivotal axis of the latch bolt I2, namely the center of the pivot pin Ill. The side of the cam pin 29 which engages the cam roller 26 in Fig. 3 is flattened in order that the on center position of the cam elements may be extended over a substantial distance rather than being limited to a single point. If the cam pin 29 did not have this flattened surface, that is if it were circular in cross section, the on center position of the cam elements would be a single point and any further movement of the latch bolt i2 in a clockwise direction would result in the cam elements being cooked or toggled a substantial amount over center. The result would be that a substantial force would be required to initiate counterclockwise movement of the latch bolt in order to bring the cam elements back to their on center position. It is necessary that clockwise movement of the latch bolt be permitted some appreciable distance past the initial on center or cocked position of the cam elements since otherwise cocking of the latch mechanism wouldl not be assured upon each opening of the door upon which it is mounted. The flattened surface at the righthand side of the cam pin 29 permits the cam elements to assume an on center cocked position followed by continued opening movement of the latch bolt without the cam elements momng sub stantially over center. The flattened pin is disclosed and claimed in application Serial No. 58,953, entitled Refrigerator Latch, filed November 8, 1948, by Lloyd L. Anderson, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

When the door is again swung toward its closed position with the latch mechanism in its cocked position the tripper element ll meets the end of the hook portion of the keeper [8 and a counterclockwise force is thereby applied to the latch bolt. A relatively light force so applied will cause the cam pin 29 to rise relative to the cam roller 25 as viewed in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, to such an extent that the cam roller 26 passes from the flattened surface between the flattened surface and the lower curved surface of the pin. The force applied by the cam roller to the cam pin is then partially upward with the result that the cam pin is urged farther up and the keeper I2 is urged further in a counterclockwise direction. As the cam pin rises higher with respect to the cam roller the upward component of the force applied to the pin by the cam roller increases, and when the latch bolt approaches the position illustrated in Fig. 1, namely the keeper engaging position, the force applied by the cam roller to the cam pin is at such an angle that a substantial lateral movement of the cam roller produces a relatively small vertical movement of the cam pin, whereby the force of the spring 22 is multiplied many times and the resultant force applied to the keeper [8 by the latch bolt roller l5 closes the door forcibly. In a refrigerator application of the latch, this is desirable since this large closing force serves to compress a sealing gasket and maintain the door securely in its closed position.

While the flattened area on the cam pin 28 provides substantial assurance that the latch mechanism will remain in its cocked position while the door is open, it is always possible that the latch bolt will be tripped by jarring or by inadvertent striking of the latch bolt by the operator. In view of this it is desirable as indicated above that the mechanism permit slamming of the door to its closed position without having to recock the latch. mechanism. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention such operation is provided for by the presence of the slot 14 in the latch bolt.

When the door approaches its closed position with the latch bolt in its keeper engaging position, the latch bolt having inadvertently been tripped while the door was open, the latch bolt roller I will engage the sloping surface !8a of the keeper and a force will be exerted by the keeper against the latch bolt roller in a direction downwardly and to the right. This force, if of sufi'icient magnitude, will cause the latch bolt to slide to the right. Under these circumstances the cam roller pin 2'? is engaged by the left-hand ends of the slots 28 and the actuator 20 is pivoted in a clockwise direction. This compresses the spring 22 and the entire movement is resisted thereby to substantially the same extent as the original opening movement of the latch mechanism is resisted. It will be noted that the slots 28 are preferably closed-ended (at their left-hand ends) in order that force may be transmitted from the latch bolt to the actuator during this operation.

In 4 the latch mechanism is shown under such conditions, the latch bolt roller having just passed over the nose of the keeper it, the I actuator 2?; being pivoted to its clockwise position (substantially the same as in the cocked position of the latch illustrated in Fig. 3), and the spring 22 being compressed substantially the same as in the cocked position of the latch mechanism. It will be apparent upon inspection of Fig. 4 that as the latch bolt roller i5 reaches the position illustrated, it is free to move behind the keeper to its normal keeper engaging position. The spring 22 then expands, pivoting the actuator 2G in a counterclockwise direction and sliding the latch bolt l2 back to the left.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention has been found to operate very smoothly because of the small amount the movements and because of the arrangement of the operating parts which permits the application of forces substantially, directly along the desired lines of movement. It will be noted for example that the actuator is substantially an equilateral triangle in shape with its pivotal axis substantially in the center. Stated difierently, the actuator includes three arms extending outwardly of its pivotal axis in widely divergent directions. The forces applied to the actuator are, in general, substantially perpendicular to a line joining the pivotal axis of the actuator and the point of contact with the cooperating member.

For example, the control element 39 applies a force in a downwardly direction in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 and contacts the actuator at a point substantially lateral of the actuator pivot pin 2!. Similarly the force applied to the actuator by the spring 2.2 through the pin 24 is substantially perpendicular to a line joining the pin 24 and the pivot pin 25 of the actuator. When the latch mechanism is in its cocked position as illustrated in Fig. 3 the force transmitted by the cam roller 26 to the cam pin 29 is substantially perpendicular to a line intersecting the point of contact with of friction involved in r.

the cam elements and the axis of rotation of the actuator. When the latch mechanism approaches the keeper engaging position illustrated in Fig. 1 the line of force transmitted between the cam elements swings about as described above in order to increase the leverage. However, the direction of movement of the cam roller 26 remains perpendicular to a line intersecting the pivotal axis of the actuator and the point of contact of the cam elements. Finally, when the latch mechanism is moved to the keeper by-passi-ng position illustrated in Fig. 4 the force applied to the latch bolt by the actuator through the cam roller pin ail is again substantially perpendicular to a line intersecting the point of contact and the pivotal axis of the actuator.

The application of forces to the actuator along such lines results in maximum utilization of the applied forces, or a minimum of nonuseful force components which would tend to increase friction in the relative movement of the various operating parts. The application of forces to the actuator at the outer ends of three widely divergent arm's thereof permits convenient association of the interconnected parts without interference with each other. Still further the arrangement whereby one end of the spring bar 23 is secured to the pin it about which the latch bolt pivots permits an efiicient utilization of operating members not previously obtained in latch mechanisms of this general character. Finally, the illustrated embodiment of the invention is one which permits the employment of cam elements disclosed and claimed in application Serial No. 58,953 referred to above.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and it is, therefore, contemplated to cover by the appended claims any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention having thus been described, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a latch mechanism, a latch bolt movable between a keeper engaging position and a cooked position and movable between said keeper engaging position and a keeper by-passing position, a bolt actuator for controlling the position of said latch bolt, said bolt actuator being pivotable between a normal position corresponding to said keeper engaging position of said latch bolt and an energized position corresponding substantially to both said cocked position and said keeper bypassing position of said latch bolt, cam means comprising a pair of cam elements, one of said elements being mounted on said latch bolt and one on said bolt actuator, control means for opera-ting said bolt actuator, and compression spring means engaging and biasing said bolt actuator toward said normal position, said bolt actuator having three widely divergent arms extending away from its pivotal axis, one of said arms being engaged with said spring means, another being engageable by said control means, and the third having said actuator-mounted cam element arranged thereon for cooperation with said latch bolt-mounted cam element.

2. In a latch mechanism, a latch bolt movable between a keeper engaging position and a cooked position and movable between said keeper engaging position 'and a keeper by-passing position, a bolt actuator for controlling the position of said 7 latch bolt, said bolt actuator being pivotable between a normal position corresponding to said keeper engaging position of said latch bolt and an energized position corresponding substantially to both said cocked position and said keeper bypassing position of said latch bolt, cam means comprising a pair of cam elements, one of said elements being a cam roller and the other being a cam pin having a flattened surface, one of said elements being mounted on said latch bolt and one on said bolt actuator, control means for operating said bolt actuator, means engaging and biasing said bolt actuator toward said normal position, said bolt actuator having three widely divergent arms extending away from its pivotal axis, one of said arms being engaged with said spring means, another being engageable by said control means, and the third having said actuator-mounted cam element arranged thereon for cooperation with said latch bolt-mounted cam element.

3. In a latch mechanism, a latch bolt movable between a keeper engaging position and a cooked position and movable between said keeper engaging position and a keeper by-passing position, a bolt actuator for controlling the position of said latch bolt, said bolt actuator being pivotable between a normal position corresponding to said keeper engaging position of said latch bolt and an energized position corresponding substantially to both said cocked position and said keeper bypassing position of said latch bolt, cam means comprising a pair of cam elements, one of said elements being mounted on said latch bolt and one on said bolt actuator, control means for operating said bolt actuator, and compression spring means engaging and biasing said bolt actuator toward said normal position, said bolt actuator being substantially an equilateral triangle in shape, one corner of said actuator being engaged with said spring means, another being engageable by said control means, and the third having said actuator-mounted cam element arranged thereon for cooperation with said latch bolt-mounted cam element.

4. In a latch mechanism, a latch bolt pivotable between a keeper engaging position and a cocked position and slidable between said keeper engaging position and a keeper by-passing position, a bolt actuator for controlling the position of said latch bolt, said bolt actuator being pivotable between a normal position corresponding to said keeper engaging position of said latch bolt and an energized position corresponding substantially to both said cocked position and said keeper bypassing position of said latch bolt, a cam roller, a pin secured to said actuator and rotativel; supporting said cam roller, said latch bolt having a closed-ended slot for receiving said pin, a cam pin having a flattened surface mounted on said latch bolt and engageable with said cam roller, control means for operating said bolt actuator, and compression spring means engaging and biasing said bolt actuator toward said normal position, said bolt actuator having three widely divergent arms extending away from its pivotal axis, one of said arms being engaged with said spring means, another being engageable by said control means, and the third having said cam roller arranged thereon for cooperation with said cam pin.

5. In a latch mechanism, a latch bolt movable between a keeper engaging position and a cocked position and movable between said keeper engaging position and a keeper by-passing position, a bolt actuator for controlling the position of said and compression spring latch bolt, said bolt actuator being pivotable between a normal position corresponding to said keeper engaging position of said latch bolt and an energized position corresponding substantially to both said cocked position and said keeper by-passing position of said latch bolt, cam means comprising a pair of cam elements, one of said elements being mounted on said latch bolt and one on said bolt actuator, control means for operating said bolt actuator, and compression spring means engaging and biasing said bolt actuator toward said normal position, said bolt actuator having three widely divergent arms extending away from its pivotal axis, one of said arms being engaged with said spring means, another being engageable by said control means, and the third having said actuator-mounted cam element arranged thereon for cooperation with said latch bolt-mounted cam element, the line of force of said compression spring means passing substantially through the pivotal axis of said latch bolt.

6. In a latch mechanism, a latch bolt movable between a keeper engaging position and a cocked position, a bolt actuator for controlling the position of said latch bolt, said bolt actuator bein pivotable between a normal position corresponding to said keeper engaging position of said latch bolt and an energized position corresponding to said cocked position of said latch bolt, cam means comprising a pair of cam elements, one of said elements being mounted on said latch bolt and one on said bolt actuator, control means for operating said bolt actuator, and compression spring means engaging and biasing said bolt actuator toward said normal position, said bolt actuator having three widely divergent arms extending away from its pivotal axis, one of said arms being engaged with said spring means, another being engageable by said control means, and the third having said actuator-mounted cam element arranged thereon for cooperation with said latch bolt-mounted cam element.

7. In a latch mechanism, a latch bolt movable between a keeper engaging position and a cooked position, a bolt actuator for controlling the position of said latch bolt, said bolt actuator being pivotable between a normal position corresponding to said keeper engaging position of said latch bolt and an energized position corresponding to said cocked position of said latch bolt, cam means comprising a pair of cam elements, one of said elements being mounted on said latch bolt and one on said bolt actuator, control means for operating said bolt actuator, and compression spring means engaging and biasing said bolt actuator toward said normal position, said bolt actuator having three widely divergent arms extending away from its pivotal axis, one of said arms being engaged with said spring means, another being engageable by said control means, and the third having said actuator-mounted cam element arranged thereon for cooperation with said latch bolt-mounted cam element, one of said cam elements comprising a cam roller and the other of said cam elements comprising a pin having a flattened surface engageable by said cam roller when said latch bolt is in said cocked position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,186,795 Anderson Jan. 9, 1940 2,385,961 Anderson Oct. 2, 1945 2,440,162 Anderson Apr. 20, 1948 2,444,180 Anderson June 29, 1948 

